Abstract: A system may receive a telephone call request for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) user. The telephone call request omits a name of a calling party. The system may further determine if the VoIP user has a calling party name feature enabled and obtaining, when the VoIP user has a calling party name feature enabled, the name of the calling party from a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) based repository of calling party names.

Abstract: A method of projecting information about a user from a device associated with the user to at least one device associated with a group of friends, comprising: receiving from the user a set of contacts, storing the set of contacts in the device associated with the first user; permitting the user to define a group of friends, wherein the group of friends comprises members of the first set of contacts; and storing the first group of friends. User information to be projected to the group of friends is received, device contact information from the set of contacts for each member of the group of friends is retrieved from the device and used to transmit the information to the group of friends; and, confirmation that the information has been associated with the user is received from at least a subset of the devices.

Abstract: A caller verification system and method include generating a challenge to be sent to a caller which requires a response from the caller prior to accepting a call. A response or lack thereof is determined from the caller, and the response is analyzed relative to an acceptable response to determine whether the caller is acceptable to communicate with. If the caller is acceptable, the call may be accepted.

Abstract: Picture messages are transmitted to a wireless device with a paging notification that includes the telephone number of a message originator and are used by the message recipient to identify who is sending the message.

Abstract: A system and method for providing information about a calling party to a called party is disclosed. Generally, a network element obtains information about a calling party when a telephone line of a called party is busy. The network element notifies the called party that the calling party is attempting to contact the called party and transmits an audible version of the information about the calling party to the called party without receiving an input from the called party.

Abstract: A caller identification service providing system including: a biz lettering database recording identification information with respect to at least one originating terminal belonging to a subscriber and predetermined multimedia data registered by the subscriber; and a biz lettering server receiving a call request signal from the at least one originating terminal, reading the multimedia data corresponding to the identification information of the at least one originating terminal from the biz lettering database, and transmitting the call request signal including the read multimedia data to a terminating terminal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of handling a telephone call initiated from a calling terminal in a circuit switched telecommunications network by providing called party identification data of a called party to said network. In the method proposed said call i s set up by obtaining answering party identification data from a service control point associated with said called party based on said provided called party identification data. Communication is provided through said network between said calling terminal and an answering terminal identified using said answering party identification data. Said answering party identification data is made available to at least one service control point in said network for identifying services associated with said answering terminal. The invention further relates to a switching device for use with said method.

Abstract: A method of identifying a caller is provided. The method includes designating a masque phone number to be provided to a caller by a callee and associating the masque phone number with one or more phone numbers designated by the callee. Calls to the masque phone number are routed to a telephone device coupled to the designated phone number. The masque phone number, or text information or an image or a video associated with the masque phone number by the callee, are displayed on a caller identification device associated with the telephone device.

Abstract: An enhanced services display message protocol (ESDMP) facilitates display of messages in a compliant analog telephony device (ATD). An exemplary gateway device in a voice over packet (VOP) network can activate enhanced services in a compliant ATD using the ESDMP and includes a controller and first and second interfaces. One of the interfaces can transmit and receive communications over a VOP network. The other interface can transmit and receive voice band message data modulated according to a frequency shift keying (FSK) protocol. The ESDMP can be used to configure the gateway to activate features supported by the ATD, to update call state information and to display feature state information.

Abstract: A method of establishing communication between a first and second terminal, the first terminal being arranged to communicate with a first communication system and the second terminal being arranged to communicate with a second communication system.

Abstract: A method of receiving a communication event from a calling entity located in a communication network comprising a first network and a second network, at a receiving device associated with a user located in the communication system, said method comprising associating a first identity recognisable in the first network with a second identity recognisable in the second network for both the user and the calling entity at a data store located in the second network; providing the first and second identities for the calling entity to the receiving device via the second network; receiving at a node in the second network associated with the user, the communication event together with the second identity for the calling entity via the second network, wherein the communication event is addressed with the second identity of the user; querying the data store with the second identity of the calling entity and the second identity of the user to determine the first identity of the calling entity and the first identity of the

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for locating files. Upon receipt of caller identification information, a search is performed to identify all files associated with the caller identification information. A presentation of the caller identification information is caused.

Abstract: Apparatus and processes to provide notification to a remote user upon the occurrence of a qualifying event determined by a voice messaging system based on logged call related information, e.g., Caller ID information. A return call data directory table is maintained associating predetermined events based on logged call related information with a telephone number to be called in the event of the satisfaction of a designated event. Designated events may include a predetermined number of calls from a particular caller within a predetermined range of time or days, or a total number of calls from any caller within a predetermined range of time. An auto dialing calling module automatically dials a designated or default telephone number to notify the user of the satisfaction of the designated event.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for caller identification messaging are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a calling party uses a Caller ID Messaging Device that supplants the incoming calling line identification (ICLID) signal with a Caller ID Messaging Signal and transmits the Caller ID Messaging Signal to a destination communications address. An alternate embodiment provides that the calling party may use a conventional telephone to access a communications network, activate Caller ID Messaging Services, compose or retrieve a stored Caller ID Message of the Caller ID Messaging Signal, and transmit the Caller ID Messaging Signal to the destination communications address. The Caller ID Message and Caller ID Messaging Signal may include text, video, voice, and/or digital data.

Abstract: In accordance with the principles of the present invention, unwanted calls may be prevented. In particular, information about a particular destination is stored in a registry at a clearinghouse server located within a network, e.g., the public telephone network. When a call is being made to the destination, it is routed to the clearinghouse server. Identifying information such as caller-id data is retrieved and the registry is searched. If the caller is registered as being approved, the call is forwarded with information indicating that the call is “approved”. If the caller is not registered or is unknown, the call is forwarded with information indicating that call is “unregistered” or “unavailable”. A user at the destination is then able to quickly determine if the call is unwanted.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an advantageous system, apparatus, and method are provided for automatically and remotely pre-provisioning or provisioning a customer's digital subscriber line device via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or the integrated services digital network (ISDN) using a caller identification (CID) sequence in a multiple data message format (MDMF).

Abstract: A method (10) and system (200) for associating a user profile (39) to Caller ID signal can include a processor (202) that is controlled under an operating system allowing multiple profiles. The processor extract (12) Caller ID information from a Caller ID signal, associate (14) at least a portion of the Caller ID information with at least a predetermined profile stored on the wireless communication device, and enable (16) access to the predetermined profile only when the portion of the Caller ID information is associated with the predetermined profile stored on the wireless communication device. The method can store (18) separate profiles on the wireless communication device for each Caller ID or for each predetermined set of Caller IDs or store separate multiple profiles for each Caller ID or set of Caller IDs and further enable user selection among the multiple profiles.

Abstract: A message originator sends a picture or video message to a message center along with caller identifying information. The message is stored in a memory and transmitted to a wireless picture phone, PDA or portable computing device, or stored at the message center in a memory or hard disk drive for later retrieval by a message recipient. The picture or video message may be encoded, encrypted or compressed prior to receipt by the wireless device.

Abstract: A visual caller identification system and method are provided for an audiovisual telephony system. A visual caller identification method for an audiovisual telephony system having a calling party terminal and a called party terminal includes transmitting a caller picture from the calling party terminal to the called party terminal before establishing an audiovisual telephony channel between the two terminals, determining whether a connection request is generated at the called party terminal and establishing the audiovisual telephony channel between the two terminals if a connection request is generated at the called party terminal.

Abstract: Described in this paper are systems and methods of providing conferencing services where a conference participant is identified by the conferencing system when calling into the system. The system and methods focus on individual users instead of groups of participants. Instead of using a conference identity as the driver, embodiments herein invoke a user identity, and services are personalized for each user. The user has far fewer codes to juggle and all participants enjoy a quicker, richer, and more secure experience.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for audibly annunciating at a device information transmitted over a telephone network. The information is transmitted in the form of a modulated signal to the device wherein the modulated signal is representative of the information. The apparatus includes a receiver for capturing a ring signal and a modulated signal representative of information transmitted over a telephone network during an interval between the ring signal and a subsequent ring signal; a converter in communication with the receiver for converting the modulated signal into a stream of audible signals; and a speaker in communication with the converter for producing audible sounds corresponding to the stream of audible signals representative of the information received over the telephone network.

Abstract: A system for adding or updating contact data in a wireless communication device, cellular telephone, pager or personal digital assistant (PDA) is shown. Contact data associated with actual or potential communicants may be entered into a database in the wireless communication device using a detachable input interface, a touch display, a personal computer or a wireless receiver. The contact data may include name, telephone number, fax number, address, email, image or sound data associated with actual or potential communicants. In one embodiment, data may be entered or modified from a detachable keyboard while viewing a cursor location that is presented within a small touch display in the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device may include a cellular or paging link and can receive Caller ID data originating from the public switched telephone network over a wireless communication system.

Abstract: Contact data in a database for a wireless personal communication device are remotely updatable from, or transferable between, a computer system using a radio frequency connection. New contact data, and changes or updates to existing contact data, are input at the computer system or the personal communication device and may be utilized in the personal communication device to initiate contact with, or establish the identity of, actual or potential communicants. Contact data including name, telephone number, address, sound or image information associated with actual or potential communicants is transferred between a computer system and a personal communication device utilizing a radio frequency connection. The personal communication device can be a cellular telephone, PDA or pager, and may also include interfaces for local programming of contact data from a removable keyboard.

Abstract: A wireless information communication system and method, such as a paging network, that provides caller identification information transmitted from the public switched telephone network to a pager, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a portable computing device, or personal communication device carried by a page-receiving communicant. The system and method may include a textual or synthesized voice query to verify the telephone number and/or name information that was derived from caller identification information received, and may also prompt a caller to enter other optional data such as alternative caller-identifying information, call-back information or message information. The wireless system and method then transmits at least one of the caller identification information and the optional data to a page-receiving communicant.

Abstract: Transmission-record information is created based on information that has been transmitted to a user communication device in response to a first user call for utilizing an information provision service. The transmission-record information is then transmitted to an operator terminal device that responds to the first user call or a second user call different from the first user call. The second user call is another call from a user who has transmitted the first user call by the user communication device.

Abstract: A method for use in a wireless communication device, cellular telephone, pager or personal digital assistant (PDA) is shown in which Caller ID data originating from the public switched telephone network or other caller identifying data is received in a paging signal and compared to contact data stored in memory that is associated with actual or potential communicants. Contact data may be entered into a database in the wireless communication device using a detachable input interface, a touch display, a personal computer or a wireless receiver. The data may include name, telephone number, fax number, address, email, image, video or sound data. When a match is determined between the Caller ID or other caller identifying data contained in a wireless paging signal and at least one database record recorded in memory, images or other information associated with the communicant are displayed or annunciated at the wireless device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for caller identification messaging are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a calling party uses a Caller ID Messaging Device that supplants the incoming calling line identification (ICLID) signal with a Caller ID Messaging Signal and transmits the Caller ID Messaging Signal to a destination communications address. An alternate embodiment provides that the calling party may use a conventional telephone to access a communications network, activate Caller ID Messaging Services, compose or retrieve a stored Caller ID Message of the Caller ID Messaging Signal, and transmit the Caller ID Messaging Signal to the destination communications address. The Caller ID Message and Caller ID Messaging Signal may include text, video, voice, and/or digital data.

Abstract: An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method provide an improved call log that presents information relating to logged phone calls in a collapsed manner, meaning that for each phone number having a call stored in the memory of the device, only the most recent in time call is listed on the call log. An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method also provide a call history for any phone call from the improved call log that is selected by the user. The call history includes a listing of all of the calls stored by the device that are associated with the selected call log call.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for caller identification messaging are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a calling party uses a Caller ID Messaging Device that supplants the incoming calling line identification (ICLID) signal with a Caller ID Messaging Signal and transmits the Caller ID Messaging Signal to a destination communications address. An alternate embodiment provides that the calling party may use a conventional telephone to access a communications network, activate Caller ID Messaging Services, compose or retrieve a stored Caller ID Message of the Caller ID Messaging Signal, and transmit the Caller ID Messaging Signal to the destination communications address. The Caller ID Message and Caller ID Messaging Signal may include text, video, voice, and/or digital data.

Abstract: Unique representation, such as music or image full of originality, is generated in relation to a specific data sequence such as a telephone number. A music generation server 10 is provided with a material table TA in which material data associated with music phrases are provided in correspondence with the digits of the telephone number and the numerals thereof given at the respective digits, and such server is connected to a user's terminal, such as a PC 50 or a cellular phone 56. When a specific data acquisition program 30 is executed to acquire a telephone number as a specific data sequence from a user, a material data extraction program 32 is executed to make reference to the foregoing material table TA and extract therefrom a particular material data MD corresponding to the acquired telephone number. Then, a generation program 34 is executed to arrange such material data MD in a predetermined order and thereby generate one completed piece of music.

Abstract: A self powered caller identification device (CID) for a cellular telephone system (CTS) includes a receiver, a transmitter and a processor, all of which being adapted to provide access to the content of a data channel and to deny access to the voice services of a voice channel. The receiver is responsive to the data signal in the data channel and the processor is responsive to identify the CID to the CTS. The CID answers a call from the CTS in response to the call being a data signal and fails to answer the call in response to an attempted connection to the voice services of the voice channel. A display at the CID is responsive to the processor to display the content of the data signal thereby identifying the caller to the user of the CID.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for accessing contact information on a communication device. A communication subsystem may be used to send and receive communications over a communication network. A memory module may be used to store data and program information, including a plurality of contact records. A processor may be used to store and retrieve data in the memory module, execute programs stored in the memory module, and cause the communication subsystem to transmit and receive communications over the communication network. A contact information logic unit program may be stored in the memory module and executed by the processor.

Abstract: Contact data in a phonebook database for a personal communication device are remotely updateable from, or transferable between, a computer system using a wireless radio frequency connection. New contact data, and changes or updates to existing contact data, are input at the computer system or the personal communication device and may be utilized in the personal communication device to initiate contact with other communicants. Contact data including name, telephone number, address, sound or image information associated with actual or potential communicants is transferred between a computer system and a personal communication device utilizing a wireless radio frequency connection. The personal communication device can be a cellular telephone, PDA or pager, and may also include interfaces for local programming of contact data from a removable keyboard.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a telephone system in which the actual identity of the calling individual is provided to the called party. The calling individual has at least one identification code (“ID”) associated with him. The invention then maps this unique ID to the actual identification of the calling party and substitutes the calling individual's number for the calling station number in the ANI identification provided to the telephone system.

Abstract: Pictures are transmitted to a wireless picture phone with caller ID from a message originator and used by the message recipient to identify who is to sending the picture. In one embodiment the pictures are sent to a message center along with the caller ID of the message originator, with a caller ID and picture transmitted from the message center to the picture phone. The picture message may be encrypted, compressed or encoded. Additionally, the received caller ID may be used by the message recipient to place a call to the message originator using a cellular or wireless network.

Abstract: Contact data in a database for a wireless personal communication device are remotely updatable from, or transferable between, a computer system using a radio frequency connection. New contact data, and changes or updates to existing contact data, are input at the computer system or the personal communication device and may be utilized in the personal communication device to initiate contact with, or establish the identity of, actual or potential communicants. Contact data including name, telephone number, address, sound or image information associated with actual or potential communicants is transferred between a computer system and a personal communication device utilizing a radio frequency connection. The personal communication device can be a cellular telephone, PDA or pager, and may also include interfaces for local programming of contact data from a removable keyboard.

Abstract: An apparatus and method provide a database in a pager that contains menus that may be displayed on a pager display. A paging service sends a page including an identification, retrieves a menu from the pager database and displays the menu. The pager responds to the page based on a selection selected from the displayed menu.

Abstract: An ancillary signal indicator notifies the reception of a signal that is associated with a user. The ancillary signal indicator includes an imprint actuator configured to instigate a signal imprint mode. A receiver is configured to receive an imprint signal when in the signal imprint mode and a memory is configured to store an imprint signal. The ancillary signal indicator also includes a signal notifier configured to actuate when a received signal corresponds to the imprint signal.

Abstract: An intelligent voice message status indication device for a single line of a telephone network includes a controller that responds to caller-ID signals to detect whether a mailbox contains a message, responds to a call-waiting signal to break communication with the voicemail system during message retrieval to capture an incoming call, and toggles multiple indicators associated with respective sub-mailboxes on a single line. The message waiting indicators may include respective unique audio, as well as respective unique, visual indication of message presence in one or more mailboxes. The voicemail servers of the network may be correspondingly partitioned to host multiple mailboxes and to provide unique outbound caller IDs to identify a mailbox having a message.

Abstract: A system and method for processing caller information across heterogeneous networks is provided. An enterprise application receives a message from a name resolution adapter over a computer network. The message includes caller attributes and port location information. The enterprise application uses the caller attributes to retrieve a caller profile. The enterprise application determines whether to accept the call using the caller profile and whether a call exists on a telephone port corresponding to the port location information. Once enterprise application decides to accept the call, the enterprise application retrieves service subscriptions corresponding to the caller and processes the call using the caller's service subscriptions.

Abstract: An Audio Caller ID service is provided which permits the calling party to speak a real time audio message that can be received and played by the called party's Caller ID equipment while his telephone equipment remains in the “on-hook” state. A calling party which has Audio Caller ID (ACID) service would speak a short audio message before dialing the called party. That message is converted to digital form, optionally compressed, and transferred to the called party in a manner similar to conventional Caller ID information. The called party's Caller ID equipment operates in the conventional manner, except that the received Audio Caller ID signal is recognized as an audio signal. At the site of the called party, a decoder is provided to convert the digital signal to an analog audio signal, and this analog signal is provided to a speaker, which plays back the calling party's audio message.

Abstract: A system and method for providing caller information across heterogeneous networks is provided. A Name Resolution Adapter (NRA) receives a message from a destination central office which includes a caller's telephone number and a call recipient's telephone number. The NRA retrieves a call recipient contract and caller authorization entries, and identifies caller fields that the call recipient is authorized to receive. The NRA includes the identified caller fields in a message to a Service Control Point (SCP), whereby the SCP retrieves caller attributes corresponding to the caller fields from a Line Information Database (LIDB). The SCP forwards the caller attributes to the NRA. In turn, the NRA includes the caller attributes in a message and forwards the message to the call recipient over a computer network. The call recipient processes a corresponding telephone call using the caller attributes that are included in the message.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel apparatus and method for providing caller identification. Particularly, the present invention is configured to output caller identification to personal computer and to a terminal. These outputs are in response to a call received by the Caller ID system.

Abstract: A communication terminal according to the present invention is configured so that a user can selectively set any one of a first display mode for displaying a CLI message with high priority, a second display mode for displaying a phone book storage information with high priority, and a third display mode for displaying both of the CLI message and phone book storage information. When an incoming call takes place, it is determined whether or not any one of the first, second, and third modes is set. According to the determination result, the caller name notified by the CLI message and the user name stored in the phone book are selectively displayed.

Abstract: A computerized system and method for selecting the nature and/or form of an alert used to announce a call made by a user participating in a customized alter service. The method includes establishing a customized alert service configuration for a participating user, which configuration is then stored on one or more network accessible devices. The participating user uses a first communications terminal to make a call to a second communications terminal, via a first communications service, the second communication terminal then announces the call by activating an alert using a chosen alert descriptor which has been chosen according to the customized alert service configuration for the participating user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a call pick-up system and method for a switching device that makes selective call pick-up possible by using caller information. In particular, by including a caller information analysis block in a subscriber call process block of a switching device, when multiple subscribers belonging to a same call pick-up group receive calls at the same time, the present invention makes it possible to search for the ringed subscribers, receive caller information from the relevant subscribers, and provide the caller information to call pick-up subscribers. In this manner, selective call pick-up is enabled. This is appropriate for offices having multiple telephones. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to choose to give up the call pick-up.

Abstract: A mechanism for placing a telephone call while at the same time communicating context (e.g., subject, importance and/or nature) of the telephone call. The caller uses a mechanism on a user interface to instruct a caller computing system to place a telephone call to a callee computing system. Using the same user interface, the caller also identifies some contextual information for the telephone call such as, for example, the subject, importance and/or nature of the telephone call. The caller computing system then constructs a call invitation data structure that includes both an invitation to the callee to engage in a telephone conversation and the user-entered identification of the context of the telephone call. Upon receiving the call invitation data structure, the callee computing system reads the identification of the context of the telephone call, and then takes appropriate action based on the context for the telephone call.

Abstract: A caller ID system and method includes the ability to transmit a party's name in native language characters along with a transliteration of the party's name into global characters, such as Latin characters. The native characters could include Chinese, Japanese or Korean characters. The caller ID information can be used to indicate a calling party's name to a called party, and/or to indicate a called party's name to a calling party. The user of the caller ID device can select native languages to be displayed. Whenever caller ID information includes a native language name matching the user's selected languages, the native language name will be displayed on the caller ID device. Otherwise, the transliteration of the native language name will be displayed.

Abstract: A caller number received from an exchange machine by a telephone coordination server (CTI server) is noticed to a customer database to search for caller information. When pieces of caller information are acquired from the customer database by the telephone coordination server, the exchange machine is connected to a voice automatic response device (IVR device) to acquire predetermined voice data by telephone communication with a caller, and the voice data is compared with voice data included in the caller information by a voice recognition server to generate caller candidate information having priority levels. On the basis of caller candidate information, caller information of a first candidate is displayed on an operator client, candidate names of second and subsequent candidates are displayed as a list, and an operation of selecting a candidate in the displayed list is caused to change the caller information being displayed at the present into caller information of a selected candidate.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving information regarding a telephony platform and for retrieving the object of the services provided by the telephony platform corresponding to the information received. Customer premises equipment is connected to the general switched telephone network and to a supplemental service network via a central office switch. A telephony platform is connected to the general switched telephone network for providing accessory services such as voice mail, electronic mail and facsimile services. An event identifier is generated to identify a calling event. The event identifier may be attached to a message having caller identifier information. The event identifier is used if the caller is transferred to voice mail. If a voice mail message is left, an in formation indicator is attached to another caller identifier message that is maintained for display on the customer premises equipment to allow the user to determine which callers left messages.